


The Purple Turtle

by OccupationLove



Series: September 30 fic Challenge [1]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Brothers, Family Shenanigans, Gen, No Plot/Plotless, al is ridiculous, matt loves his brother
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-08
Updated: 2019-09-08
Packaged: 2020-10-11 19:55:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20551814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OccupationLove/pseuds/OccupationLove
Summary: Life with a brother was always an adventure.





	The Purple Turtle

**Author's Note:**

> This has literally no plot. The boys just love each other and hang out together as brothers. This is request #1 for my September challenge. Matt is quiet. But thinks a lot. If you guys have any questions for me come find me @occupationlove on tumblr

If one thing was true of Matthew’s life, it was that his brother was a handful. It didn’t matter what was happening, Alfred just had a way of making everything an adventure. It also didn’t matter what plans Matt had for the day either. It seemed like he was always stuck watching his brother explore and generally goof around. Just like now.

“You know, you should probably be careful.”

Alfred clambered over the fence head first, legs flailing as they flew upwards. Matthew smiled as his brother wrapped his arms tightly around the posts in an attempt to stop his fall. His legs slammed into the top of the fence, stabilizing Al for just a second before his arms started slipping. A blink and, suddenly, Al was sprawled against the ground, flat on his back. The heavy thud echoed somewhat ominously just before his brother’s voice floated through the air. “Owwww!”

Matthew couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped him. Walking toward the fence, he poked his head over the edge. Al’s pained face looked up at him. He had cracked one of the lenses in his glasses somehow but he didn’t seem to be severely injured. A couple of seconds passed before Alfred grinned and held up a thumbs up. “I’m okay!”

Matt shook his head. “How’d you even fall?”

Al laughed and pushed himself to his feet. Dusting off his pants, he sighed before saying, “I lost my footing.”

Matt crossed his arms. “The fence isn’t even that tall.”

“Yeah, but it’s slippery.”

Matt wasn’t about to call his brother a liar but one glance at the fence told him the wood was as dry as it could possibly be. There was no way it was even remotely slippery. In fact, he suspected that Al probably had more than a couple of splinters stuck in his hands after that stunt. Still, he wasn’t about to sacrifice his brother’s pride to wooden fence so he swallowed his comments and shook his head. “Can you at least explain why you climbed the fence?”

Al rolled his eyes. “ I told you before I came over here. There was something bright purple on the other side!”

Matt scanned the ground, really wanting to believe what he was being told. “Where?”

Al frantically looked around his feet, desperately searching for whatever he thought he saw from Matt’s side of the fence. A couple seconds of silence passed before Alfred dived at the ground, excitement written all over his face. Matthew didn’t have any time to question the action; Alfred popped back up immediately with something plastic and glaringly purple in his hand. Al shoved it toward Matt’s face much to his dismay.

“See! I told you there was something purple!”

Matt pushed the object away from his face, simultaneously trying to inspect it and distance himself. Whatever it was, it was covered in dirt. For a moment, he considered telling Al to put it down, knowing that he’d have to remind his brother to wash his hands when they got home. Then he saw how red Alfred’s hands were and remembered that his brother was already covered in splinters. He’d have to wash his hands when they got home regardless. 

Matt tilted his head to the side. “What even is it?”

Alfred shrugged. “Don’t know. Probably have to wash it first to find out.”

Matthew blinked. “Wash it?”

Al grinned. “Yep! Come on let’s go back home!”

He would’ve protested the idea--unidentifiable objects did not belong in their home--but before he knew it Al was propelling himself over the fence. With just as much grace as the first time, he came toward Matt head first and without anything to stabilize him. Matt threw up his hands in an attempt to prevent the fall.

This time they both ended up on the ground.

* * *

It only took a couple of minutes to walk back to the house and Al had been picking at the dirt crusted on the plastic since they managed to get off the ground. So far the item was starting to look like a child’s toy of some kind. Maybe a doll? He wasn’t sure yet. 

As soon as they crossed the threshold, Alfred rushed toward the kitchen. Matthew was still pulling his shoes off when he heard the sink start running. The water audibly splashed over the object and, if he had to guess, Al’s hands. He smiled to himself and called into the kitchen, “Try not to soak the counter!”

Al’s response was fast and Matt could hear the concentration in his voice, “I won’t!”

Matt peaked around the door frame before fully entering the room. Al’s face was scrunched up as he diligently focused on rubbing the dirt off of the plastic. The water dripping off his hands was increasingly caked in mud the longer he rubbed. Matt walked closer, curiosity getting the best of him. He hadn’t wanted to bring the thing home but that didn’t mean that he didn’t want to know what it was. Al ran his hands over it a couple more times and then stuck it under the running water, as if to rinse it. As the last bits of dirt and muddy water came off of it, Matt was finally able to identify the find. A small plastic turtle stared back at him. One of its pupils was missing, the paint obviously not able to withstand whatever journey had led it to this point. 

Al flipped it over in his hands, quietly analyzing. A couple seconds later he took a deep breath in and pointed at the side of the toy, just under the edge of the shell. There, as if it had been carved out, was a name: Sydney. Al ran a thumb over the name and then rushed toward the living room. Matt turned off the sink water before scurrying after him. By the time he caught up, Alfred was already logging onto their shared computer. 

“What’re you going to do?”

Al grinned over his shoulder. “Well, obviously, someone is missing their toy! So, I figured I could make a post about it and eventually whoever lost it will want it back.”

Matt wasn’t sure anyone was looking for the poor turtle. It had been covered in enough mud to suggest that it had been lost for a long time. Still, Al seemed determined and it was a nice enough idea so he nodded his head. “Go for it.”

Al gave him a quick thumbs up before taking a picture of the turtle and getting to work on his post. Matt patted him on the back and walked to the couch, laying down before he got dragged into any other shenanigans.

Matthew wasn’t sure when he fell asleep but the next thing he knew he was being shaken awake. Alfred’s face was hovering over him, smiling like a madman. “Matty. Matty, guess what? Guess what?”

Matt sat up, rubbing at his eyes. “What’s up?”

Al thrust the turtle into his face, almost aggressively. “The mom of the girl that lost this contacted me back.” 

He couldn’t deny the sudden excitement that ran through his body. He jolted awake, blinking up at his brother. “Really?”

Al grinned and nodded, obviously proud of his achievement. Matthew smiled. “That’s great! So, when will they be picking it up?”

“Right now!”

He sighed. Alfred had always been a handful and honestly Matt hoped he never changed.


End file.
